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Review:: Night Argent EP | Night Argent

It’s almost summer time, and out on my side of the earth (California), it’s creeping faster than normal. If I’m being honest, summer is my least favorite time of year. I’ve never been a fan of the heat, and I tend to gravitate more towards the crisp fall air and the sound of rain tapping on the windows. But at the same time, there’s something oddly comforting and exciting about this time of year. It’s easy to have a romanticized perception of summertime, but one of my favorite pastimes is just to drive. Even if it’s
just down the highway, having a small taste of escape while cruising around, windows down and music blasting, is always welcomed.  I’ve discovered some of my favorite bands and albums while driving, and that sense is always seemingly heightened during the summer months. Night Argent has become another one of those bands for me. Their self-titled EP is as infectious as it is creative, and it’s the perfect fit for those summer night drives.

Night Argent’s self-titled EP is a fusion of Top 40 hooks, fused with instrumentation that is reminiscent of 30 Seconds to Mars and Imagine Dragons. They have meticulously crafted their unique, anthem pop/rock, and have created something all their own. From the opening moments of “Nothing More Beautiful,” the first track and lead single off the self-titled EP, it’s immediately evident that these guys know exactly what they’re doing. The song opens with an almost EDM-esque electronic build through the verse, before absolutely exploding into the chorus. Lead vocalist Chase Manhattan’s abilities shine here, ranging from low to high absolutely seamlessly, with a melody so infectious you’d be hard pressed to free yourself from humming it out hours later. “Nothing More Beautiful” truly sets the tone for the rest of the EP, with songs like “Comet (Light It Up)” building off the energy and settling in to an infectious, almost bluesy riff during the chorus by guitarist Jeff Stachofsky. But it’s not until “Kamikaze,” which is my personal favorite, that I really felt myself captured by the sonic landscape they’ve created. This is a stand-out track, and one I found myself almost subconsciously re-visiting over and over while preparing this review. The song progresses and slowly builds, before bassist Evan Taylor and drummer Zac Burrell lock in to a tight groove, both playing well off each other and laying the perfect rhythmic foundation. As the song unfolds before breaking into the explosive chorus, I found myself metaphorically on the edge of my seat. Manhattan’s powerful vocals soar throughout this song, but you can hear the pure integrity in his voice as he sings out “Should I let you go?/Watch this love explode like a kamikaze.” The bridge features a fantastic piano-based break by keyboardist Shane Santanna that really makes the final moments of the track stand out, and the pure power behind what they’ve crafted truly shines. There is a sense of pure passion, desperation, and almost palpable feeling during “Kamikaze”, and it absolutely explodes out during this track like a, well, kamikaze.

Night Argent is a band all their own. They’ve created something truly unique, and songs like “Nothing More Beautiful” and “Kamikaze” absolutely showcase that art. Last year, they self-produced the music video for their single “Nothing More Beautiful”, which was then debuted via Red Bull to high praise and rave reviews. One thing is certain – while they’ve shared the stage with a great number of Top 40 artists and earned a spot on the Ernie Ball Stage at Warped Tour 2015, they don’t show any signs of slowing down anytime soon.

Release Date: April 22nd, 2016
Run Time: ~26 minutes
Rating: 5/5

Night Argent

Track listing:
1. Nothing More Beautiful
2. Comet (Light It Up)
3. The Towers
4. Kamikaze
5. Widowmaker

Written by Bryce Hoffman

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